Chiefs LB Derrick Johnson Speaks
by Joel Thorman on Oct 21, 2009 4:28 PM CDT
in 2009 Kansas City Chiefs Campaign
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PrintThe name most often thrown around in the days leading up to the NFL trade deadline was Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson. Head coach Todd Haley didn't appear to be too high on DJ prior to last Sunday's victory against the Washington Redskins.
His playing time had diminished despite being what I think a lot of people would say is the most talented linebacker on the team. Of course, as we've learned over the past months, he may be talented but not part of the "right 53" yet. However, he's getting there as DJ actually started last week's game against the Redskins.
Kent Babb of the Kansas City Star chronicled some of DJ's conversation with reporters on his Twitter page.
DJ acknowledged that he should and wants to be out there playing. He says he has talked to Haley about his playing time, which he hadn't done as of just a few weeks ago.
"Coach knows I want to play," he said. "He knows I disagree with not playing. He knows that."
Babb also relays to us that DJ ignored much of the trade talk leading up to the deadline. He did not watch ESPN yesterday but acknowledged that there was a "possibility" that something could happen.
There were quite a few rumors with DJ's name attached to them the past few days (trading deadline ended yesterday at 3:00 PM CST). GM Scott Pioli said in a radio interview on October 13th that "he hadn't had any conversations like that" when asked about trading him.
The day prior to that interview, Haley had a spirited exchange with a reporter when asked why DJ wasn't playing. Haley chose to ask why they weren't asking Demorrio Williams, who is listed on the first team depth chart. This dates back to the first week of the season when Haley said DJ had to "get it going" a little bit.
DJ had a few minor injuries the in the first month of the season but has not appeared on the injury report for several weeks.
Check out Mr. Babb's Twitter page for the exchange.
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again, I don't see a problem here
IF the defense is playing well, and DJ is in a rotation with Williams like he was on Sunday…
what’s the big deal?
* "I doubt anyone will miss Connor Barth except UCrawford"
* the LB corps may become the biggest strength of the Chiefs in 2009
* The OL is NOT as bad as you think it is... give it time, and you'll see improvement this season
but if they have a gameplan that cuases him to be used in a way the will benifit him and the team thats what he should be most concerned about IMO
Check out the gun show over here FIYA POWA
as do most players
I’m just not sure why the fans are so passionate about it.
I don’t care who is on the field, as long as they are making plays
* "I doubt anyone will miss Connor Barth except UCrawford"
* the LB corps may become the biggest strength of the Chiefs in 2009
* The OL is NOT as bad as you think it is... give it time, and you'll see improvement this season
I dont really care either
I was sayin when they rotate him in for situations tht suit his talents best i would think he would be happy since he can try to shine more
Check out the gun show over here FIYA POWA
agreed
* "I doubt anyone will miss Connor Barth except UCrawford"
* the LB corps may become the biggest strength of the Chiefs in 2009
* The OL is NOT as bad as you think it is... give it time, and you'll see improvement this season
BUT just thought of something if he is wanting to be in on every play for def
and haley doesnt give him that this could turn ugly real quick now that he finally came to haley and voiced his thoughts
Check out the gun show over here FIYA POWA
I wonder if Haley is looking for that spark
That Tank wasn’t bringing.
We Will kick at least 4 Teams Asses in 09
And Succop will be the Key in two of them.
" Think and talk positive football off the field." Hank Stram
by Steve_Chiefs on Oct 21, 2009 5:27 PM CDT up reply actions
That's my take, too, stagdsp.
To my uneducated eye, he missed time due to yet another nick, and he’s been winnin’ ‘is minutes back. Everybody talking about seeing so little of him, and I’m thinkin’ it was good to see him playing more last week than the week before…
No question. Otis Taylor should be in the Hall of Fame.
I hope this motivates DJ
if he’s as talented as he seems, maybe he’ll step his game up and win that starting spot for good, as all players should be forced to do. (goff anyone?)
yeah...
Niswanger and Goff seem to be the only guys who haven’t been pushed for their starting job since training camp.
* "I doubt anyone will miss Connor Barth except UCrawford"
* the LB corps may become the biggest strength of the Chiefs in 2009
* The OL is NOT as bad as you think it is... give it time, and you'll see improvement this season
Another line of thought
would be that if he doesn’t want to play every down & doesn’t think that he could produce on every down, then why would we want him?! I’m glad that he has spoken to Haley & is now at least putting forth the talk that he wants to play. Now if he can prove it on the field & walk the walk, maybe he can start reaching the levels that most of us (including Haley) thinks that DJ can attain!
well the playing time that best suits him might not be every down right now
but yes he does need to walk the walk i know he has had limited chances so far but he only has 8 tackles so far this season and the big INT. not enough to prove he is the shit
Check out the gun show over here FIYA POWA
considering the playing time...
I think those are solid stats.
But, again… I don’t care who plays as long as the team wins and the defense shuts people down
* "I doubt anyone will miss Connor Barth except UCrawford"
* the LB corps may become the biggest strength of the Chiefs in 2009
* The OL is NOT as bad as you think it is... give it time, and you'll see improvement this season
right... but he didn't even play in one of them, if I remember right
and limited snaps in most of the others
He also had a sack, if I remember right
* "I doubt anyone will miss Connor Barth except UCrawford"
* the LB corps may become the biggest strength of the Chiefs in 2009
* The OL is NOT as bad as you think it is... give it time, and you'll see improvement this season
i guess for me
for him to prove he is legit every down starting material he needs to start getting close to around double digit tackle amounts more often. and force more turnovers on his own but that is kinda a givin
Check out the gun show over here FIYA POWA
He is doing good....
He hasnt played a 1/4 of Demorrio and he has about a 1/4 of the tackles he has plus a sack and an int. He is the best player on our defense.
well i never said he was doing bad or good i was sayin i want to see him do alot more
Check out the gun show over here FIYA POWA
On the Side Line?
Really he has made more BIG play then anyone else on the team, and he hasnt played near as much.
well i have a feeling this sunday when we play the chargers he is gonna get alot of time
Check out the gun show over here FIYA POWA
then we can know for sure i know he has made the 70 yard INT and good tackles at important times in games
Check out the gun show over here FIYA POWA
He also had a sack on 3rd down against the raiders....
And 2 tackles for no gain aginst the redskins and I beleive they were both on 3rd down.
another thing im saying is those 2 tackle for No gain i would like to see those be TFL
Check out the gun show over here FIYA POWA
With that line of thought
Mo Leggett has 2 fumble recoveries, one for a touchdown and is therefore our best defensive player. Big plays don’t mean that you are a great player, consistency does.
And it's nice to get more minutes against the worst O-Line to date.
No question. Otis Taylor should be in the Hall of Fame.
Maybe dorsey and Flowers are some day better then DJ....
But not at this point in time. He is the best player on that side of the ball and he is on the bench. If DJ doesnt play against WAS, then we dont win. He got us the ball back twice. People underestimate the swing those two tackles had on that game.
I think Demorrio is good too....
If he doesnt play we dont win that game either. I think him and Dj should start this week because of the pass attack we are about to face.
Based on what?
DJ may be the most athletically gifted guy on the defense, but throughout his career, he hasn’t been much of a football player.
As soon as he learns to play like Vrable does, he won’t be on the bench watching lesser athletes (but better football players) keep him off the field.
The Kansas City Chief's 2009 record will be 5-11.
that's been my thought from the get go
Here are all these fans losing their minds over DJ not playing and it didn’t seem to be bothering DJ at all. Now maybe DJ was just trying to stay out of the headlines, but I’ve always believed that if DJ was committed to it, he would play. What does Haley want from him? To play hard on every play within the scheme that they are running. I know some people are convinced that Haley is some sort of power hungry villain, but there is no way DJ sits the bench if he’s working his butt off and doing everything they ask of him. I’ve been pissed that DJ hasn’t been on the field too, but I put that on DJ not Haley.
It's a good thing Pioli and Haley aren't running AP or a lot of you guys would of been traded or cut for cast offs from the Pats Pulpit.
Exactly
and my hope is that these trade rumors convinced him that he was losing this “battle of wills” or whatever & he has figured out that reputation or his college stats & an occasional good play isn’t going to cut it & he starts to put in the effort & dedication & work needed on each play & every practice to make himself a starter on this team! Once he does that, then perhaps he can become the player that Zac Thomas & others have said he could be in this defense & on this team.
by ttownmikey on Oct 21, 2009 5:49 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I don't think there's that kind of drama, at all. No battle of wills.
It’s just puttin’ some weeks between him and his latest injury.
No question. Otis Taylor should be in the Hall of Fame.
Where is this "... doesn't think that he could produce on every down..." coming from, ttownmikey?
I think it’s quite simple. Part of being “up and down” is getting nicked a lot. I don’t think Haley’s ever said he’s inconsistent, so much as he’s talked generally about staying healthy being part of the equation, when this topic came up when DJ was missing practice time nicked up in the offseason.
No question. Otis Taylor should be in the Hall of Fame.
DJ hasn't been hurt for quite awhile
just Demorrio has been outperforming him & doing an adequate job so Haley has left Williams in & DJ acted as though that was cool with him. But now he has complained & said that he wants to be playing more, which is a good sign, but now he has to produce. Before you can do anything you have to get the right mindset. DJ has to think that he is the best player & can produce for the Chiefs on each & every down better than anyone else can & he has to WANT to prove that or he never will.
He needs to find “the fire within” so to say, & that has to start by thinking he can produce on every down & then going out & doing so.
I can't believe
the Bears didn’t trade for him. Especially now that they just lost Tinoisamoa as well.
hasnt played up to a first round pick
I dont get why he gripes, he played JUST as many downs as the other lb’s last game it was reported due to nickel work, so whats his gripe…weak dj, weak…especially after the best defensive performance since 06
I'm not sure its ever going to happen
I just caught his interview on the radio a while ago and even though he’s saying a lot of the right things he still sounds so “cool” about it. I just don’t know if the guy has any “fire” in him. He’s a nice guy and seems like he’d be cool to hang out with but a star NFL LB should scare people. Ray Lewis would eat somebody’s baby right there on the field if it would win his team a game. DJ is just like “Hey, sup man? You see my cool website?”
It's a good thing Pioli and Haley aren't running AP or a lot of you guys would of been traded or cut for cast offs from the Pats Pulpit.
so true, even when I first met him, he was almost scared after a game when I said hey dj nice game....most players...they scare you lol...
but hes very website, and me me me focused, and less football it seems….never really felt he hasbeen in top shape either.
i think
they are just trying to lite a fire under his ass period. so he needs to play way harder when he is on the field, and then they have no choice but to play him as much as he wants!
by cainsbigonchiefs on Oct 21, 2009 7:41 PM CDT reply actions
I don't know that
it has anything to do with lighting a fire under him. What would be the point of that? At this point, by the time you start playing him, and he starts getting into a groove, the season is already over, and at the end of it, I can’t see him wanting to have anything to do with re-signing at the end of the season. I think it’s more about making an example out of him. I don’t think Pioli has any intentions of re-signing him in the offseason. The only reason he didn’t get traded is because they couldn’t get much for him, and he’s good insurance if someone gets hurt.
ON PTI yesterday Peter King said there had been interest in DJ
He’ll be a free agent, why not get something for him?
To keep him, KC would have to give him a big payday.
He’d have to languish unsigned for awhile, and prob’ly end up playing for less for someone else. Other GMs are well aware of his history and his upside.
No question. Otis Taylor should be in the Hall of Fame.
actually
that is not true
any other year prior, yes…
but this upcoming offseason, DJ will be restricted, hes one year short of being able to be unrestricted. So KC doesnt franchise him or sign him long term, they can actually just tender him to some cheap restricted contract….or move him…either way they get to do what they want with him…I think this is a year of evaluation, maybe they wanted to see if DJ was worth keeping at least as a stop gap for another year.
despite what people think he did have as many snaps as other lb’s last game. just used differently.
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